JD Souther, the man who co-wrote hit songs for James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and his friends in the Eagles, died Tuesday, aged 78.
Souther, whose first name was John David, died peacefully at his home in New Mexicoaccording to a statement on his website. His death was clearly unexpected, as he was scheduled to kick off a tour with Karla Bonoff on September 24th in Phoenix.
“JD gave us so much in his music,” wrote actress Rita Wilson on social media Wednesday. “He will be greatly missed. But his music lives on. Rest in peace and music sweet JD.”
Fast Souther’s career as a solo artist peaked at number 7 on the charts with 1979’s “You’re Only Lonely,” he helped write some of the Eagles’ many hits. His works included “Best of My Love”, “James Dean”, “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight”.
Souther was also at the heart of the Southern California musical social scene in the 1970s and ’80s, dating and writing songs with Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell.
But Souther said he has no regrets about not embarking on his own globetrotting tour one day.
“There was definitely a period when people would sometimes say to me, ‘It doesn’t piss you off that.’ Do the Eagles have these big hits from your songs?‘” he told The Creative Independent in 2019. “I usually start by saying, ‘Do you want to see the controls?'”
Souther was close friends with Eagles members Glenn Frey and Don Henley, and was one of the first people Frey met when he moved to Los Angeles. It was him pictured on the back cover of the band’s 1973 album ‘Desperado’. reenactment of the capture of the Dalton Gang.
“Even Glenn Frey once said…’One of the reasons JD didn’t have a bigger solo career is because he gave us or Linda Ronstadt most of his best songs,'” Souther said in 2019. “And it’s kind of true.”
He also collaborated with other world-renowned musicians, including Bonnie Raitt, Roy Orbison, George Strait, Brian Wilson, Trisha Yearwood, The Chicks and Crosby, Stills & Nash – just to name a few.
Souther was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame year 2013.
He also occasionally worked as an actor, most recently as a cast member guest star on ABC’s hit show “Nashville” as a legendary songwriter and producer.
With News Wire Services
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